Agenda Item Wording:
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Facility Use Agreement - Authorize City Manager to execute Facility Use Agreements with Visalia Youth Baseball and Visalia Little League for C.R. Shannon baseball complex at Riverway Sports Complex for youth baseball games.
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Prepared by: Eric Ferreira, Recreation Supervisor eric.ferreira@visalia.gov, (559)713-4178, Laurissa Roggeenkamp, Recreation Manager laurissa.roggenkamp@visalia.gov, (559)713-4336, Jason Glick Parks & Recreation Director jason.glick@visalia.gov (559)713-4042.
Department Recommendation: Staff recommends Council authorize the City Manager to execute the facility use agreements with Visalia Youth Baseball (VYB) and Visalia Little League (VLL) for the use of the CR Shannon baseball complex, Saputo field and Special Event Promenade at Riverway Sports Park with the following rates: Field usage: 25% of the hourly Private Rate - Year One Field usage: 37.5% of the hourly Private Rate - Year Two Field usage: 50% of the hourly Private Rate - Years Three through Five Field lights: Full Non-Profit Rate - Years One through Five Concession stand: $30 per day of use - Years One through Five
Summary:
The City has had Facility Use Agreements with both organizations for use of the Riverway Sports Park (RSP). Each organization’s agreement expires early 2026, Visalia Youth Baseball expires on February 23, 2026 and Visalia Little Leagues expires on May 31, 2026. Staff have been discussing proposed updated contract terms with representatives from each organization for new Facility Use Agreements. The proposed terms include a three-year initial agreement with two optional one-year extensions, which would extend the agreements through 2031.
Seasons for Facility Use: Dates, times, and field locations
Under the proposed agreements, each league will receive priority for try-outs and regular season play for the Spring and Fall seasons, as well as options for tournaments:
Visalia Youth Baseball:
• Spring season: Second to last Saturday of January until the second Sunday of May
o CR Shannon Baseball Complex, including concession stand
§ Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 3 - 10 p.m.
§ Saturdays and Sundays 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
o Saputo Field
§ Saturdays 8 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
o Special Event Promenade
§ Saturdays 8 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
• Fall season: Last Saturday of September until the Sunday before Thanksgiving
o CR Shannon Complex, including concession stand, and Saputo Field
§ Sundays 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
• Tournament Option
o Up to three weekends (Saturday and Sunday) at the contractual rate.
Visalia Little League:
• Spring season: first day of March until the last day in May.
o CR Shannon Baseball Complex, including concession stand
§ Tuesdays and Fridays 3 - 10 p.m.
• Fall season: first Sunday of September until the first Sunday of November
o CR Shannon Baseball Complex, including concession stand
§ Tuesdays and Fridays 3 - 10 p.m.
o If VYB elects not to execute their contractual priority use to host a Fall league on Sundays, priority use will then be designated to VLL who may elect to host a Fall league on Sundays 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
• Tournament Option
o Up to two weekends (Saturday and Sunday) charged at the contractual rate.
Field Use Reservation Conditions:
• For regular season games and tryouts, each organization must submit a field use request in accordance with the City’s Facility Use Policy. Requests should only include the amount of field space necessary to accommodate regular season play.
• Any time or field not utilized by an organization during its priority use period may be allocated to another facility user, provided the use does not conflict with the priority organization’s activities.
• Tournament requests must be submitted in writing at least three months in advance. The City reserves the right to deny requests if dates conflict with other events or facility uses.
Usage Fees: Fields, Lights, Concession Stand
Under the previous agreements, each organization received a 25% reduction on the hourly field rental rate. However, the Council approved City’s Rates and Fees Schedule, approved for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, now establishes four fee categories of use:
1. Private
2. Non-Profit (20% reduction from Private rate)
3. Commercial (20% increase from Private rate)
4. Tournament
These categories are important because the proposed agreements reference the Private Rate and Non-Profit Rate as the basis for calculating field and lighting fees. Using these standardized rates, the City ensures consistency across all facility users and aligns with the adopted fee policy.
For the two new agreements, staff recommends a phased approach to gradually reduce the fee reduction percentage currently provided to these organizations. This approach will maintain fairness, support cost recovery goals, and allow both organizations time to adjust to the new rates. Previous agreements provided field usage fees at 25% of the field rental rate. The both proposed agreement’s recommendation is no increase in the first year staying at 25% of the Private Field Rental rate, a 12.5% increase in the second year going up to 37.5% of the Private Field Rental rate, and a 12.5% increase in the third year going up to 50% of the Private Field Rental rate. Years four through five the fee will remain at 50% of the Private Field Rental rate.
Staff recommends 50% of the Private Field rental rate as the long-term rate because it aligns with the Council approved City of Visalia Parks and Recreation Department Fee Policy, for City led Recreation programs which require programs with both community and individual benefits, such as youth sports leagues, to recover 50% of direct program costs. This approach balances affordability for the local leagues with fiscal responsibility.
Currently, the revenues from the Riverway Sports Park rentals (sports fields, sport lighting, park arbors, and special event use) only cover 23% of the annual operating and maintenance costs. Adjusting the field rental rate reduction will help reduce the gap while continuing to provide affordable access for these two Visalia based youth sports organizations.
• League Use:
o Field Usage fees
§ Year One: 25% of the hourly Private Rate
§ Year Two: 37.5% of the hourly Private Rate
§ Years Three through Five: 50% of the hourly Private Rate
o Field lights: Full Non-Profit Rate
o Concession stand: $30 per day of operational use.
• Tournament Use:
o Field Usage fees
§ Year One: 25% of the hourly Private Rate
§ Year Two: 37.5% of the hourly Private Rate
§ Years Three through Five: 50% of the hourly Private Rate
o Field lights: Full Non-Profit Rate
o Concession stand: $30 per day of operational use.
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Visalia Youth Baseball Field Use Projections - Field Use |
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25% OF PRIVATE RATE |
37.5% OF PRIVATE RATE |
50% OF PRIVATE RATE |
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SPRING SEASON PROJECTIONS |
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CR Shannon field Use |
$6,084 |
$9,126 |
$10,822 |
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Saputo |
$330 |
$495 |
$660 |
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Special Event Promenade |
$94 |
$140 |
$187 |
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FALL SEASON PROJECTIONS |
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CR Shannon field Use |
$2,822 |
$4,233 |
$5,644 |
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Visalia Little League Field Use Projections |
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25% OF PRIVATE RATE |
37.5% OF PRIVATE RATE |
50% OF PRIVATE RATE |
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SPRING SEASON PROJECTIONS |
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CR Shannon field Use |
$1,870 |
$2,805 |
$3,740 |
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Saputo |
$220 |
$330 |
$440 |
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Special Event Promenade |
- |
- |
- |
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FALL SEASON PROJECTIONS |
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CR Shannon field Use |
$1,360 |
$2,040 |
$2,720 |
In-Kind Contributions:
In exchange for reduced facility use rates, each organization shall provide annual in-kind improvements to the baseball fields or facility:
• Visalia Youth Baseball (VYB):
o Annual contribution: $4,000 minimum
o Justification: VYB receives priority use for more days across two seasons (Spring and Fall).
o Example: VYB purchased four new scoreboards (approx. $40,000) to be installed prior to the 2026 season. These scoreboards may be used by other facility users, who must purchase their own controls.
• Visalia Little League (VLL):
o Annual contribution: $1,750 minimum
o Example: VLL intends to install new drinking faucets as its upcoming contribution.
Maintenance:
Maintenance of the facility will be shared between the City, VYB, and VLL. The City will be responsible for regular grounds maintenance, including maintenance of the irrigation system, mowing the outfields, fertilization and weed and rodent control. VYB shall be responsible for the maintenance and mowing of the infields, and both VYB and VLL shall be responsible for the preparation and grooming of the infields on their game dates.
Background Discussion:
The Parks & Recreation Commission reviewed the proposed agreements at their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 10th; recommendation to City Council to approve the Facility Use Agreements with Visalia Youth Baseball (VYB) and Visalia Little League (VLL) with the following rates:
Field usage: 25% of the hourly Private Rate - Year One
Field usage: 37.5% of the hourly Private Rate - Year Two
Field usage: 50% of the hourly Private Rate - Years Three through Five
Field lights: Full Non-Profit Rate - Years One through Five
Concession stand: $30 per day of use - Years One through Five
VYB has been providing baseball in Visalia since 1998. VYB serves approximately 1,300 participants annually.
VLL has been providing baseball in Visalia since 1952. VLL serves approximately 400 participants annually.
Both organizations have been good partners and have made financial and in-kind contributions to the C.R. Shannon Baseball Complex since the inception of the first Facility Use Agreements in 2009. In-kind contributions have included planting new infield turf, purchasing brick dust and reshaping all four infields each year, and purchasing new scoreboards. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of in-kind contributions, along with thousands of volunteer hours have been contributed to assist with maintenance and improving the baseball complex. Additionally, VYB maintains all four infields which includes mowing, trimming and fertilizing the infields all year long.
Prior contracts from 2009 and 2014 provided VYB and VLL exclusive use of C.R. Shannon Baseball Complex for flat rate fees plus additional in-kind contributions per year. Additional fees for utilities were assessed at 75% of monthly utilities for the Concession Stand and direct cost of utilities for ball field lights.
In 2021 agreements were negotiated to charge a per hour per field usage fee that better aligned with the standard business practices for athletic field reservations. Hourly rate for field usage, concession stand use and ballfield lights. Field usage hourly rate was set at 25% of the Council approved rate listed on the City’s Fees and Charges Schedule. As well as an hourly rate for actual concession stand use, and hourly rental rate for athletic field light use.
Fiscal Impact including annual maintenance and operating costs: Projected revenue based on proposed agreement dates and times, actual revenue may vary based on actual field and light usage.
Prior Council Action: Council has authorized three prior facility use agreements for each league; November 2009, December 2014, and February of 2021 for VYB and April of 2021 for VLL.
Alternatives: I move to authorize the City Manager to execute the Facility Use Agreements between the City of Visalia and Visalia Youth Baseball and between the City of Visalia and Visalia Little League at the following rates for all five years: Field usage: 25% of the hourly Private Rate, Field lights: Full Non-Profit Rate, Concession stand: $30 per day of use.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the City Manager to execute the Facility Use Agreements between the City of Visalia and Visalia Youth Baseball and between the City of Visalia and Visalia Little League with the following rates:
Field usage: 25% of the hourly Private Rate - Year One
Field usage: 37.5% of the hourly Private Rate - Year Two
Field usage: 50% of the hourly Private Rate - Years Three through Five
Field lights: Full Non-Profit Rate - Years One through Five
Concession stand: $30 per day of use - Years One through Five
Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Deadline for Action: 3/2/2026
Attachments: 1. Facility Use Agreement with Visalia Youth Baseball and 2. Facility Use Agreement with Visalia Little League.
Strategic Goal: Indicates which City Strategic Goal(s) this item supports. Check all that apply.
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